EastEnders has a new bad boy in town - and he's certainly making his mark. Troublesome newcomer Keegan Baker has been causing a stir in Walford over the past few weeks, becoming a bad influence on Shakil as well as bullying Louise and Bex.

In real life, EastEnders' newest cast member Zack Morris is having a ball playing such a nasty piece of work - and in his first ever interview, Digital Spy was relieved to discover that he's very different from Keegan...

Hi Zack! How easy has it been to settle in at EastEnders?

"I'm loving it there. To start with, it's a bit daunting because EastEnders is a show that's been going on for so many years and it's such a big part of British television. But when you get there, everybody is so nice to work with - all of the directors and all of the cast. So it's a nice, easy place to settle in."

When did you first hear about the role of Keegan?

"It was quite a while ago now. I started filming in November last year, but the audition process was quite a while before that. When I had my original audition, I didn't hear anything back for quite a while, so I actually assumed that I didn't get it. But after a few more weeks, I heard that I had another audition and it all worked out from there."

What was your acting background before this?

"I've always wanted to be an actor. To get a job in EastEnders is great because I do get to call myself 'an actor' now, and that's a big thing for me. I've done work before this, though. I've done TV dramas, comedies, some West End shows, so I've done a few things. But EastEnders is the biggest job I've had."

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Is it fun to play the villain?

"Oh yeah, of course - it's so much more fun! I'm not like Keegan in real life, so it's nice to explore a different side of things in the show. If I was just playing myself, it wouldn't be as entertaining to watch. I get to bring out another side of me – it's like Jekyll and Hyde! I get to bring out the evil in me! (Laughs.)"

It's early days, but do you think the viewers could warm to Keegan in the future?

"That's something you'll have to keep watching to find out. As much as you guys don't know what's coming up, we don't know what's happening in the future either. It's just as much of a surprise for us when we get our scripts. I can't really give away too much, but there's some good stuff coming up for Keegan and it's definitely worth a watch."

Would you like him to have hidden depths?

"I'd like that to happen, because people could get more of an understanding of why Keegan is like that. I don't personally know myself yet, but hopefully sometime down the line, the viewers and myself can all find out why Keegan is the way he is."

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How are the EastEnders fans reacting to Keegan so far?

"I've seen a lot of mixed views, really. A lot of people don't like Keegan and are proper hating on him, but that's what was expected. I planned for that and everyone else at EastEnders planned for that. That's what we always assumed would happen with a character like Keegan.

"For me as an actor, that's a positive because the viewers are buying that I'm evil, so I'm fine with that! I've also had people saying that it's believable and that the acting is good, so I'm pleased with all of the comments, really. It'd be weird if I was getting comments saying how hilarious Keegan is, because that's not what we're going for."

Is it true that soap fans sometimes confuse actors with their villainous characters?

"I haven't experienced that personally so far, but from what I've seen from other people in the cast, the viewers can sometimes be convinced that they are that character.

"So for me, when I got the role of Keegan and found out what he'd be like, I did wonder if people would think I'm actually like that myself. Would I walk down the street and would people see Keegan rather than Zack?

"Luckily that hasn't happened yet, but even if it does, I know how to deal with it. I've also had a few fan letters already, but I'm waiting for my cast cards to come through to get back to them!"

Would you like Keegan to find love at some point?

"I think it'll be hard for Keegan to find the right partner, because right now he's so against everyone. It wouldn't work out the way a normal relationship would, because he doesn't seem like that kind of guy right now.

"But further on down the line, he might be. He might have calmed down, but who knows? I guess it'd be an interesting storyline to play and a contrast to what we've seen so far."

Zak Hussein/SilverHub/REX/Shutterstock

How was it to be involved in the bus crash so soon after joining? They certainly threw you in at the deep end...

"It was amazing. Visually when you watched those episodes, it wasn't like watching EastEnders - it was like watching a film. It was an amazing storyline and the work that went into it was incredible. All the other people behind the scenes that you don't see, like the set designers, worked really hard on that episode.

"So for me to have a big role to play in that episode was amazing. It's an incredible thing to say you were a part of, because it was such a big thing that will be talked about for years. I'm privileged to have been part of it."

You were also at the NTAs last month - how was that?

"It was really overwhelming, to be honest. I didn't quite know how to prepare myself for it. Obviously beforehand you're told what to expect, but until you're there, you don't know what it'll be like. It was so strange seeing it from the other side. But at the same time it was so cool because when you're a performer, being on a red carpet is where you want to be. So to have that at this stage in my career is great."

Who have you made friends with on set?

"My mentor is Jamie Borthwick, who plays Jay. I've also really made friends with Shaheen [Shakil], Tilly [Louise] and Jazmine [Bex]. There's also Sydney Craven and Seraphina Beh, who've just come into the show playing Alexandra and Madison and you've just started seeing them on screen.

"Us younger cast are a solid group and we're always filming together. We did the bus crash together and we spend a lot of time with each other. Especially me and Shaheen - the majority of my scenes are with him because our characters are best friends. They've all helped me through. With anything I've needed or any advice, they've talked me through it."

We have to ask - have you ever had jokes about sharing the same name as the other Zack Morris, who was the lead character in Saved By The Bell?

"I used to get that so much! I spoke to my mum about it because I thought she named me after the character, but she didn't even know who the character was! It's literally just a coincidence.

ABC-TV/REX/Shutterstock

"But I've definitely had Saved By The Bell mentioned to me a lot in the past. And even if you Google my name, Saved By The Bell comes up. That's one thing when I got this job - I thought, 'Hopefully when you Google my name, I'm going to come up... not the geezer from Saved By The Bell in the 90s!'"

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